Automatic safety gate for railroad crossings



March 15, 1927. Y 0, 99

, F. CARSON 7 AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Filed Dec. 4, 1926 5 Sheets-Shea! 1 2/0 la 25 I 3 0 4 Asap,

March 15, 1921. "1,620,199

G. F. CARSON AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Filed Dec. 4. 1926 s Sheets-Shoot "5 fi i March '15, 1927. 20,?

G. F. CARSON 7 AUTOMATIC SAFETY GATE FOR RAILROAD CROSSINGS Filed Dec. 4, 1925 3 Sheets-Shoot 3 CAOJED Patented Mar. 15, 1927.

p an swarms I enonen FICARSON, oF'MEMr-rrirs; Tennessee.

*AoToM-Aimo iseFETYfGAT'n I non ner-nnoan'onossmes.

'vApplicationifi-led December 'Tliiswinvention relates -to *safety .rgates Where a highway' crosseswa railroacl'and has especial reference 'toisuch a 'device which will automatically-close "whenever a-train ,ap-

iproachingthe crossing enters the particular "block :in "which the crossing is 'located. Among theobjects of my invention are to provide-'means, v (a) F-or closing the highwayagainst vehi- '10"cleS approaching it'hB'CI'OSSlHg; 1

' 6) ;For rabsorb'ng the -shock should an approaching '"vehicle" strike-- the closed zga'tes i l'For "warning and "relieving vehicles from damage :duringclosing of theigates; For g'ivingaud'ibleaas well'as visual warning during the closedand closingiperiod f the igates; and I i i (e For generallyimproving thedetails 'of construction: and i operation o fthe closure The means by which the foregoing objects are accomplishedeandthe i'manner of/their "accomplishment; -wi11 readily-be understood ifrom the following -1specification on refer- ::ence -:to the aecompanying drawings, in

whioh,- r V Fig. 1 is aplan'view ofa-ia highway :erossing "a double track 1 railroad 7 showing the Tgates in -closed'rposition. Eig. 2""is a'plan view o'n a-:larger-'scale showing 'one of the; gates T in "closed position. Fig. 3 is an e'levation on the'same scale of "one ofkthe gates showing themanner'ot its -supportrromithe post; i a Fig. 4 is an rend elevation on'thesame scale, of the supporting. post=andi gate showmin -se tion on -the-1-ine- IV-IV 'ot'. Fig.2; the subsurface" structure supporting the gate ,Fign5 isia-further enlarged section on the *lineV-V of Fig. 4 showing relation f of the supporting post and-the pivot postand having a corner 'ofr'the cover platezot the subsurface box, broken awayto showthe, posi- 4 131011 of the operating onechanism when the gate is open. 1

6qis a similarly enlarged section on the line VI-VI of Fig. 4 with the cover 7 plate of the box removed to show the gate- 0 operating mec'hanism with the gate in closed position.

Fig. 7 is a view on about the same scale as Figs. 2, 3 and 4, showing an actuating mechanism for the device.

v Referring now tothe drawings in which the various parts are indicated by numerals 0F the buffer springs, and, also showing, in

4,1926. S'eria1"No$1'52;538.

1 10, '10are gates,- :made up substantially of horizontal members ll-and vertical members 12, 13,6the memberi13-extending below the wbOt'tOIIl "of the-gate and forming a pivot post 1 therefor." -14 are supporting posts and 15 f stop posts forthergatet =Ad-iacentF-the "posts 1 4 051115 boxes 16, "which are sunk kinthe ground, preferably-With 'cove'rsl'f isubstanti'ally': flush with the surface of the roadway. From these boxes conduits 18 lead tora cenwtral box V 19 'whichwis preferably. rlocatfed "between the two tracks of a adoilble tracksrailroad and whiclris adapted :to contain :actuating mechanism forthe vgates.

:20 is" a slot in'the cover 17, through which wslotthe {pivot post 13 projects with its lower wendlrestingin a? groove ;21 ;"b',oth- 'the groove and slot-leading; parallel with the roadway iand toward the ;post 14. Disposed between 1 the member .12: andthe post 15 are "compression springs 22 and "between the; post-14ian'd the pivot nnernber 13 are similar sprifigs 23. The springs {22 are se'cured to :-:,a ,plate '24 which-is;clamped tothewposts loand to a plate;- 25 against which the gat'e members 12 a are swung when; the-ggate closes. Si-milarly the-springsd23' are rsecured -to-a piate" 26 which is clamped tothe pos'ts 14 and'to a plate-27 :-against-which-the fpivot-post- 13 rests. -Theefront end of the gate is yswun g from the top of-thevpost14 by aqspring tension rod 28-and a tension rod- 29' extends fromthe center of the 'gate similarly to the top of-ither' post. I Secured to the post 1 3,:is arr-:arm 30whioh is connected by nism comprising a horizontally rotatable plate 32. This plate is adaptedtobeoseildated by some form of (actuating mechanism .such -eas the reversible motor 33'. acting throughithe shaft 34, wqrmvwheelt35, worm v pgear-36 and vertical shaftj37. Fromithe "motoreontrol circuits 38, 39, 40- and 41lead preferably through conduits "42, to trips 43 lower portion of the pivot a rod 31 with a suitable operating meohalocatedalongthetrackatsuch distancefroin is slidable in a slot 46. 47 is a compression spring which normally holds the slidable end 44 in extended position.

Each ofthe gates is? provided with a flexible arm 48 extending therefrom, on

which arm is swung a "sign plate 49 on sired matter.

which may be imprinted any suitable or deis bent downward and then reversely bent to eliminate any projecting point. 51 is a red signal light for use as a night warning.

An electric bell 52 may be located on the posts or if desired located along the highway further from the tracks. In general the. gates are to be located at sufficient distance' from the crossing to provide standing space for machines which have been caught between them during the closing.

period and for such purpose they should be located at a distance ordinarily of about sixty feet from the tracks. Since the gates must close before the'tra'in reaches the crossing the block which governs the closing must be of considerable length, preferably about four hundred yards; that'is the control switch must be that distance from the crossing. For double track, in order to avoid danger from a train approaching on the opposite track, the control switch opening the gates should be located at approximately the same distance beyond the crossing. The length of block suggested however, and distance of the gates from the crossing however are advisory only and wouldof course be regulated to suit the intrip and starts the motor in'reverse direction to swing the gates open.

While the gates are closed, should a vehicle strike them, the force of the blow would be minimized if not entirely absorbed by-the springs 22, 23, and the spring 4:7 compressing would permit the arm 30 to move to the position 30, shown dotted in Fig. 6.

Having thus disclosed the invention, what I claim is g 1. A safety device for highway-railroad crossings comprising a supporting and a stop post, disposed on opposite sides of said highway adjacent said railroad, a box adjacent said supporting post, said box having a slot in the top, and a groove in the bottom thereof leading toward said post, a rigid gate of width to span said highway when closed thereacross, having a pivotpost at 3 one end thereof stepped in said slot and groove and spaced from said supporting The end 50 of the arm 48 This shifts post, a tension support extending from the free end of said gate to the top of said supporting post, buffer springs secured to said posts andadapted to lie between said gate and said posts when said gate is closed across said highway,and means for swinging said gate into closed position on the approach of a train and to open position on the passage of said train.

2. A safety device for highway-railroad crossings, comprising a supporting and a stop post, disposed on opposite sides of said highway, adjacent said railroad, a box adjacent said supporting post, said box having a slot in the top, and a groove in the bottom thereof leading toward said post, a rigid gate of width to span said highway when closed thereacross, having a pivot post at one end thereof stepped in said slot and groove and spaced from said supporting post, tension supports extending from said gate to the top of said supporting post, buffer springs secured to said posts and adapted to lie between said gate and said posts when said gate is closed, an arm secured to said pivot post, a central plate, means for turning said plate in one direction on the approach ofa train and in the opposite direction on the passage of said train, and a compressible rod between said plate and saidpivot post arm.

3. A safety device for highway-railroad crossings comprising a supporting .and a stop post, disposed on opposite sides of said highway adjacent said railroad, a box adjacent said supporting post, said box having a slot in the top, and a groove in the bottom thereof leading toward said post, a rigid gate of width to span saidhighway when closed thereacross, having a pivot post at one endthereof stepped in said slot and groove, and spaced from said supporting post, a tensionsupport extending from said gate to the top of said supporting post, a flexible, warning arm extending beyond the end of said gate, a sign board carried thereby, bufl'er'springs secured to said posts GEORGE F. CARSON.

and adapted to lie between said gate and 

